New Releases by Michael J. Tougias

The terrifying true story of a fight for survival for 28 hours in shark-infested waters. October, 8, 2022. Three friends are fishing for red snapper when their boat, tied to an oil rig, begins taking on water and sinks 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. Suddenly, the three men find themselves in a struggle for their lives. Their vessel succumbs to the building seas so quickly that the fisherman are unable send out a radio Mayday call, and their cell phones have no reception. They only have time to don their life jackets and hold onto a cooler as they are swept further out to sea. They vow to stay together no matter what and must make several life or death decisions. Suffering from hypothermia and severe stings from giant jelly fish, the men desperately try to stay afloat as they realize there are circling sharks below. In Deep Water is an hour by hour account of a desperate and determined struggle for survival, as well as the Coast Guard’s all-out effort to find the missing men. This fast-paced story has a number of surprising turns in both the survival ordeal and the rescue efforts. Based on interviews with the three survivors and the crew of the Jayhawk helicopter who rescue them, In Deep Water is a white-knuckle tale of bravery and brotherhood and a battle against the ocean's deadliest predators.

Break Free and Learn to Say No We’ve all been taught to seize the moment and say yes without considering the downside. No Will Set You Free empowers you to take back your life and control your own time again. Saying no can be hard. Really hard. Author Michael J. Tougias understands. As a former people-pleaser himself, Michael wields a combination of research, personal stories, and proven methods to help us understand our actions and stop saying yes. Through his witty stories detailing his own setbacks and triumphs, we learn how to stop people-pleasing and how to, ultimately, honor our authentic selves. Inside No Will Set You Free, you’ll find: • Studies that help us understand our urge to say Yes and how to learn to say No • Personal stories and anecdotes about the journey to “No”, how it relieves stress, and leads to a more productive life • Steps, tips, and tricks to control your life through the power of No • This informative, self-help-style book helps you discover and follow your true desires, find more time to invest in those you love, and pursue your real interests.

Join Michael J. Tougias and Adam Gamble out on the water to see how their mutual passion for heart-pounding fishing action transforms their destinies. When the pair first met, they were married with two children each, nice homes in the suburbs, jobs that paid the bills, and frequent fishing trips. But their comfortable lives had cracks in them, and they soon found themselves hit by the rogue waves of divorce, financial challenges, addiction, and career upheaval. What kept them going—and helped them navigate the rough waters of middle age—was fishing and friendship. Together they not only learned some of the successful secrets of striped bass fishing, but they were also brutally honest in their advice for each other. They began to see their time spent on Adam’s boat, the Scout, as a way to explore new ways of thinking, dreaming big, and being right with the world. The two not only discovered ways forward but began living lives far beyond what they thought possible. The Power of Positive Fishing is an emotional journey interspersed with humor on how two individuals finally began tapping their full potentials, while hooking some great fish along the way.

An incredible World War II account of a maritime attack off the West African coast, for fans of Steven Sheinkin and Deborah Heiligman. At the height of World War II, the RMS Laconia was torpedoed by a German submarine five hundred miles off the coast of western Africa. The attack triggered a series of unprecedented events involving allies and enemies from both sides, and left survivors adrift at sea in shark infested oceans, fighting to stay alive with little food or water. Suspenseful and informative, and featuring historic photographs, this remarkable true account is a testament to the idea that compassion can rule over conflict—even during the cruelties of war. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection "This epic story races along, unspooling like a movie before our eyes—artfully, dramatically, revealing a little known part of WWII history. An intriguing book." ―Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way "The authors do an excellent job of conveying the chaos and loss of this grisly historical incident without pushing young readers too deeply into the horror. Many of those who lived through the Laconia catastrophe endured weeks at sea, parched and sunburned and starving in conditions that literally drove men mad. Archival photos add immediacy to this sensational true-life story." ―Wall Street Journal "An amazing account of a World War II event that is almost entirely unknown…. This story chronicles the courage, compassion, and perseverance of the few survivors of the incident, showcasing war at its worst and humanity at its best…. School librarians will want to add this to their collection." ―Booklist

NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR Sequel to the author’s new book, The Waters Between Us (Lyons, March, 2021), about growing up loving the woods and fields and streams of his native Massachusetts and wanting since boyhood to live like a mountain man in the woods. Having acquired a forest cabin in the course of the first book, There’s a Porcupine in my Outhouse details his further adventures hunting and fishing far from other humans. PRAISE FOR THERE’S A PORCUPINE IN MY OUTHOUSE “This is the way natural history should be taught—by a good storyteller with a sense of humor.” —Audubon Magazine “Tougias recounts his experiences with candor and humor. He blends the adventures of Lewis and Clark with the vision of John Muir.” —Cape Cod Times “A very funny memoir. Tougias learned from his cabin experience and today he is one of New England’s leading nature writers.” —Book Views “This is an honest book that asks us to admit our ignorance of much of the natural process and our fears of all those unknown things that ‘go bump in the night’ when we visit friends in the country. Tougias tempers each small disaster with good humor and a growing love for a world that he at first finds completely foreign, but which he ultimately realizes he cannot part with.” —Bill Eddy, author of The Other Side of the World Here are Michael Tougias’ adventures at a tiny A-frame cabin in Northern Vermont where he learns that nature has a way of becoming our instructor. This funny, honest, and personal account is the perfect book for anyone who loves the outdoors and loves to laugh.

A young readers edition of Doug Stanton and Michael J. Tougias' New York Times bestseller In Harm’s Way—a riveting World War II account of the greatest maritime disaster in US naval history. "A masterful account of one of history's most poignant and tragic secrets." —#1 New York Times-bestelling author Lee Child On July 30, 1945, the U.S.S. Indianapolis was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated 300 men were killed upon impact; close to 900 sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they remained undetected by the navy for nearly four days and nights. Battered by a savage sea, they struggled to stay alive, fighting off sharks, hypothermia, and hallucinations. By the time rescue arrived, all but 316 men had died. The captain's subsequent court-martial left many questions unanswered: How did the navy fail to realize the Indianapolis was missing? And how did these 316 men manage to survive against all odds? New York Times bestselling author Michael J. Tougias adapts his histories of real life stories for young readers in his True Rescue Series, capturing the heroism and humanity of people on life-saving missions during maritime disasters. More Thrilling True Rescue Books: The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition) A Storm Too Soon (Young Readers Edition) Into the Blizzard (Young Readers Edition) Attacked at Sea (Young Readers Edition) Rescue on the Bounty (Young Readers Edition)

Four young men in a tiny lifeboat brave a dreadful storm to save dozens of lives in this illustrated chapter book adaptation of the New York Times bestseller The Finest Hours. On the night of February 18th, 1952, during one of the worst winter storms that New England has even seen, two oil tankers off the shore of Cape Cod are torn in half by the force of the seas. For the men on board, survival seemed impossible. What follows is a harrowing Coast Guard rescue in a tiny lifeboat, where four young heroes beat the odds and bring more than thirty stranded sailors to safety. The True Rescue chapter book series is full of fast-paced, uplifting stories that put newly independent readers in the middle of the action. Don't miss another pulse-pounding book in the series: A Storm Too Soon (Chapter Book edition).

Untamed. Unsupervised. Uncontrolled. Boyhood in the 1960s and ‘70s was a time for exploration and mischief. Author Michael Tougias found more than his share of misadventures in the woods and on the water: some life-threatening but others innocently hilarious. Over time – and after reading a multitude of adventure books -- these experiences took shape in his quest to be a mountain man, owning a cabin in the forest and living off the land. Part of that dream would come true, but only after a family tragedy that shook his world and forced changes in his life. This is also a story of a complex and strained relationship between father and son, the efforts at understanding, and ultimately respect and devotion. In The Waters Between Us Tougias channels Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” to mix laugh out loud humor with insight into the natural world through the eyes of a curious boy. Tougias is a New York Times Bestselling author and co-author of 31 books, including There’s A Porcupine In My Outhouse (Winner of the Independent Publishers “Best Nature Book of the Year”) and The Finest Hours (inspiration for a 2016 Disney movie). He has received many writing awards.

A riveting WWII account of survival at sea—Book 4 in the middle grade True Rescue series from Michael J. Tougias, the author of the New York Times bestseller The Finest Hours. On May 19, 1942, during WWII, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. The submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia. Most onboard were merchant seamen, but there were also civilians, including the Downs family: Ray and Ina, and their two children. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no idea that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, chaos ensued—and each family member had to find their own path to survival. This inspiring historical narrative tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, blinding oil, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast. Christy Ottaviano Books New York Times bestselling author Michael J. Tougias adapts his histories of real life stories for young readers in his True Rescue Series, capturing the heroism and humanity of people on life-saving missions during maritime disasters. Illustrated Chapter Books for ages 6-9: True Rescue: The Finest Hours True Rescue: A Storm Too Soon Young Readers Adaptations, for ages 9-14 The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition) A Storm Too Soon (Young Readers Edition) Into the Blizzard (Young Readers Edition) Attacked at Sea (Young Readers Edition)

A gripping true story of heroism and survival at sea during the catastrophic Blizzard of 1978, adapted for young readers by New York Times bestselling author Michael J. Tougias. In the midst of a raging blizzard, the tanker Global Hope floundered off the Massachusetts coast. The Coast Guard immediately dispatched a patrol boat, but soon found themselves in as much peril as the stranded tanker. With both vessels paralyzed in the unrelenting storm, Captain Frank Quirk and his crew of four made the daring decision to take their 49-foot steel boat, the Can Do, into the heart of the blizzard. Perfect for fans of the I Survived series, this riveting middle-grade adaptation of Tougias' adult nonfiction book, Ten Hours Until Dawn, chronicles the harrowing journey of the Can Do and its crew as they battled towering waves and fierce winds in a desperate rescue mission. Tougias, author of The Finest Hours, brings this incredible tale of courage and determination to life for young readers in his True Rescue Series. These real-life stories capture the heroism of people on life-saving missions during maritime disasters. Discover more thrilling true rescue stories: The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition) A Storm Too Soon (Young Readers Edition) Attacked at Sea (Young Readers Edition) In Harm's Way (Young Readers Edition) Rescue on the Bounty (Young Readers Edition)

From the authors of the bestselling The Finest Hours comes the riveting, deeply human story of President John F. Kennedy and two U-2 pilots, Rudy Anderson and Chuck Maultsby, who risked their lives to save America during the Cuban Missile Crisis During the ominous two weeks of the Cold War's terrifying peak, two things saved humanity: the strategic wisdom of John F. Kennedy and the U-2 aerial spy program. On October 27, 1962, Kennedy, strained from back pain, sleeplessness, and days of impossible tension, was briefed about a missing spy plane. Its pilot, Chuck Maultsby, was on a surveillance mission over the North Pole, but had become disoriented and steered his plane into Soviet airspace. If detected, its presence there could be considered an act of war. As the president and his advisers wrestled with this information, more bad news came: another U-2 had gone missing, this one belonging to Rudy Anderson. His mission: to photograph missile sites over Cuba. For the president, any wrong move could turn the Cold War nuclear. Above and Beyond is the intimate, gripping account of the lives of these three war heroes, brought together on a day that changed history. Selected as a "Top 10 Nonfiction Books to Read" (2018) by the MA Book Awards

The harrowing story of one of America's first and costliest wars—featuring a new foreword by bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick At once an in-depth history of this pivotal war and a guide to the historical sites where the ambushes, raids, and battles took place, King Philip's War expands our understanding of American history and provides insight into the nature of colonial and ethnic wars in general. Through a careful reconstruction of events, first-person accounts, period illustrations, and maps, and by providing information on the exact locations of more than fifty battles, King Philip's War is useful as well as informative. Students of history, colonial war buffs, those interested in Native American history, and anyone who is curious about how this war affected a particular New England town, will find important insights into one of the most seminal events to shape the American mind and continent.

"An adaptation for young readers of A storm too soon: a true story od disaster, survival, and an incredible rescue"--Jacket.

On May 19, 1942, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. Captained by twenty nine-year-old Iron Cross and King's Cross recipient Erich Wurdemann, the submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia with sixty-two souls on board. Most aboard were merchant seamen, but there were also a handful of civilians, including the Downs family: Ray and Ina, and their two children, eight-year-old Sonny and eleven-year-old Lucille. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no idea that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, chaos ensued—and each family member had to find their own path to survival. Including original, unpublished material from Commander Wurdemann’s war diary, the story provides balance and perspective by chronicling the daring mission of the U-boat—and its commander’s decision-making—in the Gulf of Mexico. An inspiring historical narrative, So Close to Home tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.

Documents the 1952 Coast Guard mission to save the crews of two oil tankers that were torn in half by the force of one of New England's worst nor'easters.

Documents the 1952 Coast Guard mission to save the crews of two oil tankers that were torn in half by the force of one of New England's worst nor'easters.

From masterful storyteller Michael J. Tougias comes a heart-stopping true-life tale of death and survival at sea—a thrilling "edge-of-your-seat chronicle of what happens when a sailboat goes up against a fierce storm in the heart of the Gulf Stream" (The Providence Journal). In May 2005, Tom Tighe, captain of a forty-five-foot-long sailboat named the Almeisan, and his first mate, Loch Reidy, welcomed three new crewmembers for a five-day voyage from Connecticut across the blue waters of the Gulf Stream to sun-drenched Bermuda. The new crew included forty-six-year-old Kathy Gilchrist, seventy-year-old Ron Burd, and thirty-four-year-old Chris Ferrer. Although Tighe had made the trip forty-eight times, with Reidy accompanying him on twenty of those voyages, the rest of the crew had joined to learn more about offshore sailing. Four days into the voyage, an enormous storm struck, sweeping two of the crew into the towering sea. The remaining crewmembers managed to stay aboard the vessel as it was slowly torn apart by the rampaging ocean. Overboard! follows the simultaneous desperate struggles of both those still on the boat and those fighting for their lives in the sea. The Coast Guard, alerted to the Almeisan’s distress, rushed to the storm-tossed scene. Their ensuing search and rescue mission proved so spectacularly difficult and dangerous that it was later selected—from among thousands of incidents—as the Guard’s search and rescue case of the year. Highly trained helicopter pilots and rescue swimmers alike found themselves in almost as much trouble as those trapped by the ferocious ocean. By turns tragic, thrilling, and deeply inspiring, Overboard! is a riveting, fast-paced story about a maritime disaster—amazing, unforgettable, and all true.

A true story of catastrophe and survival at sea. One November morning in 1980, two small lobster boats set out for Georges Bank, a bountiful but perilous fishing ground 130 miles off the Massachusetts coast. The forecast was for typical fall weather--but a colossal storm was brewing to the southeast, a maelstrom the National Weather Service did not accurately locate until the boats were already in its grip. Battered by sixty-foot waves and hurricane-force winds, the crews struggled heroically, but the storm soon crippled one boat and overturned the other, trapping its crew inside. One man managed to crawl inside a tiny inflatable life raft and spent more than fifty terrifying hours adrift on the stormy open sea. That day, brave men and women from the Coast Guard and the crew of a nearby fishing boat imperiled their own lives in order to save the lives of others.--From publisher description.

In the midst of the Blizzard of 1978, the tanker Global Hope floundered on the shoals in Salem Sound off the Massachusetts coast. The Coast Guard heard the Mayday calls and immediately dispatched a patrol boat. Within an hour, the Coast Guard boat was in as much trouble as the tanker, having lost its radar, depth finder, and engine power in horrendous seas. Pilot boat Captain Frank Quirk was monitoring the Coast Guard's efforts by radio, and when he heard that the patrol boat was in jeopardy, he decided to act. Gathering his crew of four, he readied his forty-nine-foot steel boat, the Can Do, and entered the maelstrom of the blizzard. Using dozens of interview and audiotapes that recorded every word exchanged between Quirk and the Coast Guard, Tougias has written a devastating, true account of bravery and death at sea, in Ten Hours Until Dawn.